Key case



Dec. 29, 1936. c. H. .DAHLGRE'N 2,066,033

KEY CASE Filed Jan. 15, 1932 I I I ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 29, 1936UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates in general to key cases or key purses and moreparticularly to a key case the construction of which combines a numberof novel and useful features. I

An important object of the invention is the provision of a key casewhich has a single removable key holding member which may be pivotallyswung outward and inward of the case and which may be readily detachedtherefrom to receive or discharge one or a number of keys.

Another important object of the invention is the provision in a key caseof a key holding member, which, while capable 'of holding a plurality ofkeys, permits a selected key to be readily separated from the remainder,without removal from the holder, swung outward from the case as far,nlaway from the other keysas possible and readily manipulated for theopening operation without interference with the other keys.

Still another important object of the invention is the provision in akey case of a backing plate, made of a single piece of sheet metal andadapted to perform four important functions: 1. To serve as a novelbearing for the key holding member,

2. To hold a removable sheet or card bearing the name and address of theowner of the key case, 3. To act as a stiffening or reinforcing memberfor the whole case and 4. To provide an anchorage for a key case chain.

Yet another important object of the invention is the provision of a keycase, having the foregoing combined advantages, which has few and simpleparts, which may be manufactured with economy and speed, and which whenfinished will take up little space and present an attractive appearance.

Numerous other objects of the invention will be apparent as it is betterunderstood from the following description, which, taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the case in open position with aselected key ready for its opening operation.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the closed key case.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the back of the closed case.

Fig. 4 is an elevational view, partly in section,

showing a side flap of the flexible cover and the keys in restingposition within the case.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail view showing the bearing part of thebacking plate and the pivotal part of the key holding member inoutwardly extended position, as in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail view taken along the lines 56 of Fig. 5,and illustrating how the backing plate is secured to the flexible coverby riveting.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing,reference numeral I indicates a cover or casing of leather or othersuitable flexible material. This cover comprises a back portion 2 andside wings or flap portions 3 and 4. The flap 3 of the cover is adaptedto fold '10 over the keys when the key case is in closed position (as inFig. 2) and the flap 4 being slightly larger than flap 3 is adapted tooverlie flap 3 and to be removably secured to the back 2 by means of asnap button 5, secured adjacent the tip or 15 tongue 6 of the flap 4,taking over a snap boss I, projecting from the back 2 at about itslongitudinal center.

Substantially co-extensive with the back 2 and secured to its innersurface by means of rivets 8 20 and 9, is a backing plate I I made froma single, substantially rectangular, piece of sheet metal or othersuitable material slightly widened at one end. The longitudinal marginaledges of the plate II, up to the widened part, are turned up- 5 wardlyand inwardly in reverse directions to form guide grooves or flanges I2.A name plate I3 of celluloid or other suitable material and bearing thename and address of the owner of the keys, may be slid between the guideflanges i2 of the 30 plate. One end of the plate II may be slightlytapered to conform to the tapered cut of the cover and may be used as ananchorage. A chain I4 may be suitably secured to the rivet 9 at thetapered end of the plate. The opposite widened 35 end of the plate I Iserves as a hearing or anchoring means for the key holding member. Thisend has the material of its side edges bent upwardly and outwardly toprovide bearing flanges I5 and I6, having circular bearing holes I! andI8 of a 40 diameter equal or slightly larger than the diameter of a keyholding member I9.

This key holding member or wire loop I9, preferably, is substantiallyU-shaped in outline, bent from a single piece of resilient wire and hasa 45 rounded closed U-bottom 2| and U-legs 22 and 23. The legs 22 and 23are bent inwardly at right angles to provide bearing pins 24 and 25adapted to take through the bearing holes I! and I8. U-leg 23 is alittle longer than leg 22 50 and its free end is bent at a right angleto the pin portion 25 to provide a stop 26 for the latter and preventits accidental detachment from the bearing hole I8.

When keys are placed upon the key holder, a 55 preferable manner ofaccomplishing this operation is as follows:

The key holderv is grasped by the rounded bottom 2| and is held at aright angle to the plate 'I I, with the stop 26 inserted through thehearing hole l8. The holder is then swung around into parallelism withthe 'plate ll, with the pin 24 stillfree of engagement with the bearinghole [1. 'As many keys as are desired to be placed *upon'the holder andcan becarried'by it are now inserted by their perforated heads upon thepin 24 and slid along the leg 22 until the bunch of keys come to rideupon the rounded part 2! of the holder. The leg 22 is then sprungoutwardly and the pin 24 snapped into the bearing hole 11. The bunch ofkeys with theirperforated heads riding upon the rounded part '2 l arethen grasped and swung towards the tapered end of the plate H, togetherwith the holder l9, which come'to rest against the plate II. The keysare given another pivotal movement, a kind of jackknife movementrelative to the now resting holder until the keys come to lie betweenthe legs 22 and 23 with their heads restingjupon the tapered end of theplate (as in Fig. 4;) and their shanks extending toward the bearing endof the plate.

The flanges I5 and 16 of the plate H may be shaped or bent in suchmanner as to function as reversely directed cam surfaces and key holderlooks or stops.- Their construction, as shown in Fig. '5, will cause theinner, surfaces of the legs 22 and 23 adjacent the pins 24 and 25 .toride upon the outer edges of the flanges, forcing the legs apart, whenthe key holder is moved from resting position shown in Fig. 4 toextended position shown in Fig. l. The natural resiliency or spring-likequality of the legs will then cause them to snap back under said flangeswhen they have cleared the wide outer edges of the flanges andthe latterwill hold the legs in yielding lockin position as clearly shown in Fig.5.

The flaps 3 and 4 at the tapered end of the plate ll may be stitched orotherwise secured together in a seam 21 (Fig. 2) to present a nice- 7 lyfinished appearance.

It will thus be seen that the finished key case parts, compactly andeconomically put together with a view to place upon the market a useful,inexpensive and neatappearing article.

. It is thought that theflinvention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description and' it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the g form, constructionand'arrangement of the parts cured, to said plate and adapted to hold aplu plate connected with said cover, a U-shaped key" holder'having itsfree ends pivotally connected with said plate adjacent one end of saidplate, the metal of said plate adjacent said end being turned inopposite directions to' provide cam flanges adapted to spread saidholder when the latter is moved in one direction and adapted 'to locksaid holder when moved in the opposite di rection. V

CHARLES H. DAHLGREN.

CIT

consists of a well planned combination of simple

